Check holder and cutter



June 18, 1929. c, sc c 1.717.937

CHECK HOLDER AND CUTTER Original Filed Feb.-2, 1920.

, Ghorles Tllosc hick.

Patented June ltd, 1929.

CHARLES T. RASCHIGK, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

CHECK HOLDER AND CUTTER.

Original application filed February 2, 1926, Serial No. 355,572.

January 19, 1924.

My invention relates to a check holder and cutter which is particularly designed to hold a particular kind of checks in a convenient manner so that the checks can be removed trom the stub of the pad as they are desired for use and punched by the cutter associated therewith without requiring an extra punch for making indications by serrations or notches in the checks proper.

Ai'iother object of the invention is to provide a back having at one end a pocket together with a sliding support, having mounted thereon a cutter which is adapted to discharge into said pocket. I

A still further object of the invention is to arrange said sliding support and cutter so that the same may close said pocket to confine the punchings therein or may be slid away from said pocket to permit of the removal thereof.

A still further object resides in arranging said pocket and cutter below the end of the pad of checks mounted upon said holder and to form said sliding support with a shoulder adapted to be engaged by the extreme end of the pad of checks, to hold said member and cutter to close the opening to said pocket.

A further object of the invention is to suspend said check holder and cutter in such aposition that the cutter and support on which it is mounted naturally tend to fall by gravity into a position adapted to close the opening to said pocket so that the same is normally closed at all times.

In the drawings forming part of this specification Figure 1 is a perspective view of my check holder and cutteras it would appear in use holding a pad of checks.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional side elevation of my device.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the upper portion of my device.

Figure 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4L of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lower portion of my device, illustrating an alternative form of cutting punch with the cover of the pocket in open position.

This application is a division of my application for check holder and cutter filed February 2, 1920, hearing Serial No. 855,572.

ln the drawings, A represents my check holder and cutter which is designed to hold Divided and this application filed Serial No. 687,186.

a pad of checks B, which are stapled together on one end in the ordinary well known manner with the stub ends of the checks held between the gripping face or plate 11 and along the back 12 of the holder A.

The face 11 is formed as an extension from the back 12 and extends approximately parallel thereto, being connected with the same by the upper end portion 13, to which is attached the holding loop 1 1- by the cleats 15, or in any other suitable manner. The holding loop let is engaged by a hook, chain or other suitable means, not shown, for attaching the holder A to thebelt of a waitress or clerk '3, the use of the same, while the body portion or back 12 hangs free, either extending in a downward direction or so that it can be readilyengaged and elevated to remove one of the checks 16 from the pad B. The checks 16 are perforated or otherwise suitably scored at 1 7 to allow them to be easily disengaged from the stub portion 10 of the pad.

Engaging teeth 18 are formed on the front edge of the plate 11, while a spring 19, which is attached to the back 12, tends to hold the pad B into engagement with the teeth 18. Guide flanges 20 are formed depending from the engaging plate 11, while reinforcing ilanges 21 pro ect upward from the back 12 to form side engaging members to hold the pad in line in the holder A with its checks extending along the back 12.

A cutter punch C is carried by the end of the holder A opposite to the loop 14 and is provided with a cutting tongue 22, which is formed of spring steel, or some other suitable material, which is attached to the plate 23 at 2 to the upwardly projecting flange 25, which extends as a portion of iind approximately at right angles to the body portion of the plate 28. The plate 23 forms the back and body portion of the cutter punch C and also the cover for the pocket E which is formed as an integral portion and extension of the back 12.

The plate 23 is held freely slidable to the back 12 by the inturned flanges 26, see Figure 4, which engage along the lower longitudinally extending edges of the back 12, while the back 12 is cut away or formed with longitudinally extending recess portions 27,10 form a narrow portion 28 along the back 12 of the holder. This narrow portion 28 allows the free engagement of the checks 16 particularly when the pad B becomes practically used up and only a few checks re maining in the pad, and also allows the cutter plate 23 to be removed by depressing the tongue shoulder 29, which is formed by cutting a portion out of the back 12 and bending it upward to normally engage against the flange 25 of the cutter to limit the backward movement of the same. This construction allows a new cutter tongue and blade to be provided for the holder A at any time, should it be found necessary to do so and this feature is of great importance in the practical development of my invention. Stifl'ening flanges are formed extending longitudinally in the portion 28 to strengthen and addto the rigidity of that portion of the back, to properly support the elements of the holder.

The plate 23 is formed with an upwardly inclined end 31, which extends at an obtuse angle from the body portion of the plate and terms a cover for the upwardly projecting portion 32 of the pocket J. An opening 33 which is of the same shape and of a slightly larger dimension than the cutting end or point 34- ot the cutting tongue 22, is formed in the angular-1y extending portion 31 of the plate 23, while the rear portion of the opening 33 extends into the body portion of the plate 23 and is of any suitable shape. In this construction the cutter tongue of the punch C is formed with an enlarged finger engaging portion which limits the downward movement of the cutter tongue 22 in the opening 33.

A loop member 36 is secured to the angular portion 31 through which the pointed cutting end 34 of the tongue 32 extends. The loop 36 forms a guard and limits the upward movement of the cutting end of the tongue 22 as it prevents the sharp pointed end 34 projecting or being bent upward into a dangerous position. In a device of this kind it is necessary that no portions of the same be exposed upon which the operator can be easily injured and the guard 36 will protect the point 34- .while also the upwardly pro jecting end 31 of the cover forms a natural guard for the pointed cutting end 34:. The loop 36' also forms a stop or gage for the checks 16 to limit the depth of the cut or cutter punch C in the checks.

In operating the cutter punch C a ticket or check 16 taken from the pad B is inserted with its edge against the gage 36 and a portion of the cheek positioned between the point of-the cutter and the upper end of the opening 33 in the portion 31 of the plate. As the cutting tongue 22 is depressed, the point 34: will first pierce the cheek and then shear a V-shaped portion out of the same at a point on the check to indicate the amount of a purchase, while the portion of the check clipped or punched from the body of the same will be deposited into the chamber 38 of the pocket- E and retained therein until the pocket is opened by pulling the punch with its plate backward to draw the portion 31 back sufficiently to open the same.

The plate 23 with the portion 31 is held freely slidable by the flanges 26 to the back 12 of the holder and thus when the holder is in use and the pocket E hangs downward the plate 23 would move or be held by gravity into closed position. However, the checks 16 of the pad B engage against the flange 25 and form a stop to hold the cover of thepocket E normally in closed position. In this manner the flange 25 performs two functions, as it also tends to hold the pad B in place along the back 12. The cover of the pocket can be opened, however, even with the pad of checks B in place in the holder, by pulling backward against the checks to bend them su'tliciently to allow the cover to move into open position.

In Figure 5 a cutter punch F is illustrated, having a cutting tongue 39 formed out of the body portion of the'plate 23,, the pointed end 10 of which coincides with the similar shaped opening 4C1 formed in the angularly disposed end 31 of the plate 23. The functions of this cutter punch are identical to that performedby the cutter punch C and this punch operates to cut a portion from the checks to indicate the amount of a purchase and deposit it in the pocket E formed on the lower end of the back 12.

In the operation of a device of: this nature the general construction of the holder is practically indestructa-ble with ordinary use and care but it is Very desirable to have a replaceable cutter, as through continued use the cutter is apt to become dull and owing to the simple, inexpensive construction of my device a new cutter can be quickly and easily attached to the holder by sliding the plate 23 backward, when the pad of checks B is removed from the holder and the spring tongue 29 depressed to allow the engaging flanges 26 to move back to the narrowed portion 28 of the back 12, whereupon the flanges 26 are disengaged from the back to release the cutter punch plate and cover for the back 12. This feature adds materially to the practical nature of my device.

The inclined or angularly positioned por tion 31 of the plate 23 permits the cutter tongue 22 to operate easily to make a cleancut notch in the tickets or checks and this construction does not require the close fit between the male and female portions of the cutter punch as are necessary in the ordinary punching devices.

The stub 10 of the pad B which is left clamped between the back 12 and the plate 11 after all of the tickets or checks 16 have been removed can be easily removed either by engaging the same through the opening 42 formed in the plate 11 to depress the stub and free it from the teeth 18 so that it can be pulled out and discarded or the stub can be engaged between the flanges 20 and 21 on either side of the same and released by depressing against the spring 19. A new pad of checks can then be inserted in the holder while the back of the same holds the spring 19 depressed, the spring 19 holding the stub of the pad into engagement with the teeth 18 and plate 11 while the leaves or checks of the pad form a stop to hold the cover plate 23 in closed position on the pocket E.

The positioning of the pocket E at the opposite end to the holding loop let is an essential feature of the construction of my device, as it allows the cutter punch C to be operated without removing the holder A from the chain or hook which holds it by the loop 14 to the waitresss or clerks belt, it being easy for the clerk or waitress to engage the end of the holder carrying the pocket and raise it sufficiently to readily see and operate the cutter punch. The side members of the pocket E are outwardly inclined as shown clearly in Figure 2. The sides of the pocket are shown clearly in perspective in Figure With the particular arrangement of the cutter and support therefor in relation to the pocket formed at the end of the holder the punchings from the checks are caused to be deposited in the pocket and to be maintained therein so that the same are not discharged upon the floor or other undesirable places. As soon as the pad of checks has been removed the support for the cutter may be slid away from the pocket providing an opening therein through which the cuttings or punchmgs may be readlly dlscharged. In

this manner an easy and effective method of best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those set forth within the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. A holder for a pad of checks comprising means forming a pocket, a freely slidable cover having an abutment which engages the checks held in said holder for said pocket, said cover being adapted to move into closed position by gravity when said iolder is carried by the operator in use.

2, A holder adapted to carry a pad of checks, a slidable removable plate adapted to carry a punch, said plate also serving as an abutment for one end of said checks and means forming the pocket for the clippings from said punch, said plate forming a cover for said pocket.

3. A check holder adapted to support a pad of checks, a back extending longitudinally of said holder, a narrowed portion formed in said back, stiffening ribs formed in said back along said narrowed portion, a pocket formed in said back, acover forl said pocket slidable upon said back and removable therefrom, said cover forming a stop for the free ends of said pad of checks in said holder.

CHARLES T. RASCHIGK. 

